Tongs



&@1635@ H. ALBERG @aku 11935.

,TONGS Filed Sept. 30, 1933 Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in tongs and particularly to a pair of tongs for handling fire logs and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide improved tongs to facilitate the handling of fire logs and obviate burning and soiling of the hands incident to placing said logs in a fire-place.

A further object is to provide tongs with means to effectively grip a log or other object and prevent its tilting, and which is not cumbersome to handle and is of simple and inexpensive construction.

Another object is to provide a device, for handling irregularly shaped objects, embodying a pair of co-acting gripping jaws, said jaws being arranged to provide a long gripping or bearing surface thus insuring a positive grip which may be easily maintained.

The foregoing and such other objects of the invention as will appear hereinafter as the description proceeds, will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the improved fire log tongs.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the tongs, showing a modified form of construction.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 2, showing another modification.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the improved tongs, showing another modified locking means thereon.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein the improved tongs are illustrated, a pair of arms or levers IB are provided with angularly oii-set extensions Il at one end, arranged in cross relation and pivotally connected together at l2. These off-set extensions terminate in substantially parallel hand loops |3. The arms or levers lu preferably are fashioned from suitable strips of material, and their ends opposed to the hand loops i3 are slit longitudinally, as at l4, to provide diverging inwardly curved jaws i5. The inwardly disposed free ends of the jaws l5 are each provided with an inwardly upwardly turned lip i6 to afford log engaging means adapted to grip a fire log, or other similarly shaped object.

To prevent tilting or displacement of a log when gripped between the jaws l5, suitable laterally extending ears ll are provided, one on each arm lO, adjacent the junction of the diverging jaws !5 with the lever arms IO. The ears l'! preferably are arranged on the same side of the tongs, as shown.

A suitable slide lock or loop l8 is slidably mounted on the arms lo for locking the tongs while gripping an object. The movement of said loop in the direction of the jaws |5 preferably is limited by enlargements IS one formed on each arm lil adjacent ears ll. The lock i8 preferably is provided with a suitable loop or eyelet 2I to enable the grasping and moving of the lock Without burning or soiling the hands while depositing a. log in the fire-place. 0

The lock i8 may be dispensed with and a locking device, such as shown in Fig. 2, may be employed. This lock preferably comprises an arm 22, pivoted at 23 to one of the arms IO of the tongs and is provided with a slot 24 adjacent its 15 free end. The upper edge of the slot 24 is serrated as at 25 for co--operative engagement with a pin 26, carried on the' other arm lo of the tongs.

By securing a suitable spring 21 on the loop l8, 20 such as is shown in Fig. 3, yieldable means may be provided to prevent free movement of the lock along arms lll. This spring may be of any applicable type, such as that shown, wherein the curved ends 28 thereof yieldingly engage the re- 2 spective inner edges of the arms !0 to frictionally hold member i8 against displacement.

In Fig. 4, movement of the lock l8 towards the jaw and of the tongs is limited by enlargements 29 on the arms lil. With this construction the 30 lock can at no time move into close proximity to the log carried in the jaws.

Although exemplary forms of the device have been shown in the accompanying drawing and described in detail in the foregoing specification, it 35 is to be readily understood that the improved tongs may embody certain modifications in detail structure without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. An article of the character described comprising, in combination, two pivoted arms, diverging transversely bowed jaws depending from the end of said arms, means extending inwardly from the lower ends of each jaw to support an object 45 carried between said jaws, and an extension at the joining end of the arms and jaws and projecting laterally in the same plane as the respective jaws to prevent tilting of the object carried thereby. 50

2. An article of the character described comprising, in combination, two pivoted arms, diverging transversely bowed jaws depending. from the end of said arms, a fiange extending inwardly from the lower ends of each jaw to support an 55 object carried between said jaws, an extension at the joining end of the arms and jaws and projecting laterally in the same plane as respective jaws to prevent tilting of the object carried thereby, *and means slidabie on said arms to securely lock the jaws in gripping engagement with said object. i

3. An article of the character described, comprising, in combination, two pivoted arms, diverging transversely bowed jaws depending from the end of said arms, means extending inwardly from the lower ends of each jaw to support an object carried between said jaws, anextensionat the joining end of the arms and jaws and projecting laterally in the same plane as the respective ;laws to prevent tiiting of the object, a lock slidable on said arms to securely hold the jaws in gripping engagement with said object, and a. finger piece on said lock a'dapted to be engaged to hold the lock in inoperative position.

HENRY ALBERG. 

